To nest communally or not to nest communally: a review of rodent communal nesting and nursing

Hayes, Loren D.

doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1390

Cited by 236 publications

(231 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“…In addition, the number of same-aged juveniles counted in front of nests exceeded the mean and maximum litter size of single females, indicating that parturition of group females is synchronized. Communal breeding (or plural breeding) in rodents occurs when several mature group members breed together, whereas communal nesting occurs when reproducing females use the same nest (Hayes, 2000). Thus, both communal breeding and communal nesting occur regularly in Rhabdomys in the succulent karoo, although single-breeding females were also observed.…”

Section: Communal Breeding Polygyny and Paternal Carementioning

confidence: 99%

The Striped Mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) From the Succulent Karoo, South Africa: A Territorial Group-Living Solitary Forager With Communal Breeding and Helpers at the Nest.

Schradin

Pillay

2004

Journal of Comparative Psychology

144

262

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The authors studied the striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) in the semiarid succulent karoo of South Africa. Mice forage alone, but they live in groups that share a common nest. Groups consist of 1 to 4 breeding females, 1 to 2 breeding males, and their offspring of both sexes, which remain in their natal group even after reaching adulthood, participating in territorial defense and nest building without showing signs of reproductive activity. Interactions are typically amicable and take place inside or in front of the nest. In contrast, encounters with mice from other groups are aggressive. Group living in the succulent karoo is possibly due to ecological constraints imposed by habitat saturation because of a year-round stable food supply as well as associated benefits of philopatry.

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Section: Communal Breeding Polygyny and Paternal Carementioning

confidence: 99%

The Striped Mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) From the Succulent Karoo, South Africa: A Territorial Group-Living Solitary Forager With Communal Breeding and Helpers at the Nest.

Schradin

Pillay

2004

Journal of Comparative Psychology

144

262

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“…biparental care in some rodent species; Dewsbury, 1985) or the larger family unit (e.g. communal nesting in mice, Mus musculus; Hayes, 2002). Because the epigenetic effects of early social deprivation modify stress responsiveness in later life (Caldji et al, 2000) these effects can, in the long-term, affect the adjustment of animals to the captive environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early social experience influences the development of stereotypic behaviour in captive-born striped mice Rhabdomys

Jones¹,

Mason²,

Pillay³

2010

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…Striped mice females are single breeders in the grasslands (Perrin, 1980;Schradin and Pillay, 2005a;Willan and Meester, 1989), whereas females in the succulent karoo breed communally (Schradin and Pillay, 2004; definitions available in Hayes, 2000). Reasons for females breeding alone in grasslands appear to be relatively low food abundance and low survival rate of striped mice, leading to low population density (Schradin, in press).…”

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confidence: 99%

The influence of the father on offspring development in the striped mouse

Schradin

Pillay

2004

Behavioral Ecology

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The influence of the father on offspring development in the striped mouse The influence of the father on offspring development in the striped mouse AbstractWhen males of a species follow different reproductive strategies in different habitats, one might expect the strategy adopted to maximize fitness payoffs under particular ecological conditions. Striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) males in the moist grasslands of South Africa follow a roaming mating strategy, visiting several receptive females, and do not participate in parental care. In contrast, males in the arid succulent karoo are permanent members of social groups and help care for young. We predicted that paternal care leads to fitness benefits in striped mice from the succulent karoo but not from the grasslands. Experiments were conducted simultaneously in both locations under captive seminatural conditions to study offspring growth and survival to weaning in two experimental groups: father absent and father present. In the succulent karoo, offspring development was faster when the father was present, but the father's absence did not affect offspring growth in the grasslands. The significantly lower night temperatures in the succulent karoo compared to the grasslands negatively influenced offspring development during the first 3 days after birth, which in turn influenced offspring development until weaning. Exposure to low temperatures is energetically costly to free-living mice, as indicated by a greater loss of body weight during cold spring nights than warmer summer nights. We suggest that paternal care, particularly huddling of pups, improves offspring development in the succulent karoo, whereas the presence or absence of the father does not appear to directly influence offspring growth in the grasslands.The influence of the father on offspring development in the striped mouse When males of a species follow different reproductive strategies in different habitats, one might expect the strategy adopted to maximize fitness payoffs under particular ecological conditions. Striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) males in the moist grasslands of South Africa follow a roaming mating strategy, visiting several receptive females, and do not participate in parental care. In contrast, males in the arid succulent karoo are permanent members of social groups and help care for young. We predicted that paternal care leads to fitness benefits in striped mice from the succulent karoo but not from the grasslands. Experiments were conducted simultaneously in both locations under captive seminatural conditions to study offspring growth and survival to weaning in two experimental groups: father absent and father present. In the succulent karoo, offspring development was faster when the father was present, but the father's absence did not affect offspring growth in the grasslands. The significantly lower night temperatures in the succulent karoo compared to the grasslands negatively influenced offspring development during the first 3 days after birth, which in turn influenced offsp...

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To nest communally or not to nest communally: a review of rodent communal nesting and nursing

Cited by 236 publications

References 102 publications

The Striped Mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) From the Succulent Karoo, South Africa: A Territorial Group-Living Solitary Forager With Communal Breeding and Helpers at the Nest.

The Striped Mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) From the Succulent Karoo, South Africa: A Territorial Group-Living Solitary Forager With Communal Breeding and Helpers at the Nest.

Early social experience influences the development of stereotypic behaviour in captive-born striped mice Rhabdomys

The influence of the father on offspring development in the striped mouse

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